


Hanging Out With Friends

by TheOtherCourse (kanevixen)



Series: Tom and Abigail Series [20]
Category: Actor RPF, Benedict Cumberbatch - Fandom, British Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Best Friends, F/M, Jealousy, Multi, Relationship(s), Rival Relationship, Rivalry, Sex Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 17:38:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4109401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kanevixen/pseuds/TheOtherCourse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom Hiddleston is in an established relationship with a former costar, Abigail. Abby doesn’t get along with Tom’s best friend, Benedict, and verbal sparring erupts over dinner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hanging Out With Friends

**Hanging Out With Friends**

“I don’t like you,” I said blankly before I could stop the errant thought. I didn’t mean to actually say it out loud, but once I put voice to the statement, I couldn’t take it back. I squinted in distaste at the English gentleman across the kitchen table from me. I didn’t like that he was here, I didn’t like that Tom had invited him, and I wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.

Shuffling around in the kitchen behind me, Tom admonished me while doing his task of making dinner, “Abigail!”

The object of my disdain sat perfectly still with a closed mouth grin on his face. Speaking to my boyfriend over my shoulder, I said, “What? It’s true. I don’t like him, just being honest.”

The blond actor flashed me a wicked haughty smile showing all his teeth. “It’s quite alright, sweetheart,” his sarcasm dripping from every word. “The feeling is entirely mutual, I assure you.”

This time, Tom came to my defense, “Benedict! Honestly!”

Ben laughed, shaking his head slowly. “Your bird started it, Thomas.” He turned his hard stare back to me, “An eye for an eye… gloves off, babe.”

I sulked, sitting lower in my chair. My ire peaked and I couldn’t do anything about this man’s presence. Our time together seemed to stretch before me like a prison sentence. Tom wanted us to get to know each other since we were both important to him.

Ben’s gaze raked over me, studying me from the top of my head to my waist, where the table obscured my lower half. The way he examined me made me feel vulnerable, like sharing a lifetime of secrets with him. Addressing Tom over my shoulder, Ben smirked smugly, “Why is she wearing your clothes?” Without waiting for an answer, he asked me directly, “Why are you wearing his clothes?”

My lover was doing his best to leave us well enough alone to work out our differences. He was making dinner and stayed engaged in the preparation. Against my better judgment, I said, “Because he was doing me twenty minutes before you got here. Closest thing to throw on,” I said with a shrug.

A huge clattering and clanging sounded behind my head, as though Tom had dropped half the kitchen from the shock of my statement. He bellowed in my direction, “Abby!”

Ben quickly smothered his look for surprise at my frankness. Barely containing his laugher or his quest to unbalance me, he asked, “Did you come?”

Tom yelled, “Jesus, Ben, stop this! Don’t goad her! Abby, don’t answer that!”

Folding my arms over my chest, nearly swimming in Tom’s red flannel shirt, I shot back, “Twice!”

Tom came barreling through, abandoning dinner to scold and referee me and his best friend. He stood at the end of the table, watching over us. “Christ! What is wrong with you two?”

Benedict and I didn’t like each other from day one, when he’d attended a performance of the play Tom and I did together. We were sleeping together already, but kept it entirely secret from everyone. When Ben came backstage to congratulate Tom on an excellent performance, Tom introduced us. His response then had been, “Pleasure, Abigail. You did well enough.”

‘Well enough’ – What the fuck does that mean? I never got a chance to ask because I didn’t rate acknowledgement again after that. It wasn’t that he didn’t fall over himself to compliment me or whether he liked my portrayal or not, it was his dismissive attitude that irked me. Benedict Cumberbatch appeared to carry very little respect for anyone outside his immediate circle.

All three of us took the tube together that night, Ben departing before Tom and I arrived at his stop. He never glanced my way or offered a parting goodbye or nice to meet you. He didn’t know Tom and I were involved, so he got a pass for that. The problem was, for me, was that he seemed to lack human decency and manners. I never learned why he didn’t like me, and Tom never spoke of it.

Ben ignored my boyfriend for the moment, still seeking to shame me, “More important question, did he?”

Tom exhaled dramatically at the turn for the tasteless that Ben and I were on.

I stood from the chair, planted my palms on the table, and leaned into him with an unfaltering stare. “Every fucking time, you prick.”

“Charmer, that one!” Ben told Tom, indicating me with a slight jut of his chin towards me.

Tom circled my waist with his arms and lifted me away from what was quickly descending into a screaming match. He put himself between me and the still seated Ben. Exasperated, Tom sighed, “Can we dispense with the hostility? Abby, my love, you have bigger breasts than Ben. And, Ben, you have a bigger dick than Abby. How’s that? Sorted?”

Ben laughed, the mere sound of it rankling me. “She’s spirited, I’ll give you that.”

Huffing loudly, I said over Tom’s shoulder, “Spirit this!”

It was Tom’s turn to laugh. He kissed the top of my head affectionately, and ran his hand over my hair in his way. “Abigail, he was paying you a compliment then.”

I scoffed dubiously, “Hard to tell beyond the ego.” There was something about him that thoroughly turned me off, got under my skin and infuriated me beyond reason.

“You can kiss my ego, love,” Ben dug in, irritating my last nerve.

Tom tried to regain some of the control over the heated exchange between me and the arrogant bastard. “Christ! Come on! You two, why can’t you drop it and try to get on?”

Ben surrendered first. He held up his hands defensively, “I’ll play nice if she does.”

Because of Tom’s pleading look, I bit back a jab about nice not being a part of his extensive vocabulary. I instead let the subject drop. I snuggled into Tom’s comforting embrace, somehow claiming him and my place with him in a way Ben couldn’t.

For the rest of Tom’s cooking and through most of dinner, I kept quiet, trying to behave for my boyfriend’s sake. He got on with Ben, and I should attempt being civil. I did start the argument, so I tried to hold my tongue. He and Tom swapped stories about work, mutual friends, and general catching up. Over tea, my lover took my hand under the table and squeezed it, to show me that he wasn’t angry or upset with me and a show of solidarity. I helped clear up dishes, before excusing myself to the bedroom, leaving the men alone. They settled in the living room with a new bottle of scotch and a couple of tumblers.

Their chatter was loud, but not clear enough for me to understand their words. I curled up on Tom’s bed with a book and kept to myself until it got quiet. Assuming Ben had left, I peered out of the bedroom door to see if the monster had indeed gone. I was about to step out into the hallway when I heard Tom ask hesitantly, “So this feud with Abby, what’s up? She’s a sweet girl and she’s my girl now.”

Ben laughed and truly sounded embarrassed. “I have no problem with Abby actually.” Tom must’ve made a face or a gesture, because Ben laughed again. “Truly. She’s easily excitable and fun! Blatant and honest. Breath of fresh air, that one.”

“You provoked her on purpose? You’re awful. I’m going to be left with her ranting now. She’s not going to let it go. She thinks you don’t care for her.”

Ben’s confession came fast and furious. “Quite the opposite actually. That night you introduced us, I thought she was radiant, but sensed there was something going on between you and her. I didn’t want to step on toes and all.”

“Thanks for that.”

Ben offered good-naturedly, “I can mend fences and apologize. She’s too much of a handful for me, but suits you well.”

Tom chuckled. “She is that. I adore her that way. So what of the rivalry then?”

“I wanted to see how she would handle it, if she would hold her own.” The best friend was laughing again. “I didn’t expect her to so forthcoming, she shocked me! She’ll handle criticism and comments about your relationship well, if you’re serious.”

Tom cut in abruptly, “We are.”

“She may be in for a lot worse if you’re ever public.” Tom didn’t say anything and I couldn’t see his reaction. After a few long heavily silent moments, Ben continued, “She’s a cute one. She’s good for you.” Ben slapped his knee or shoulder, judging by the muted noise. “How long has Luke got her on the bench?”

Tom sighed, “A year. She’s antsy, I know that and I don’t blame her. We’ve been together a lot longer than we’ve been together.”

Ben barked out another laugh. “She loves you, you know? It’s written all over her. I think a blind man could see it.”

I didn’t mean to keep eaves-dropping but I couldn’t pull myself away. I should give them the privacy they deserved, but with the conversation centered around me I couldn’t stop.

Tom chuckled again at Ben’s joke. In my head, I could see him look down to process everything his friend to him and touch his neck as he figured what next to say. “I know it. If I’m honest, I didn’t want this.”

My stomach dropped to the floor and my heart stopped. The pain of his admission crippled me, and I couldn’t breathe as I stood in the doorway. I covered my mouth with my hand, tempering a sob or the need to scream, I wasn’t even sure which. The old wood was the only thing keeping me upright.

Finally, he continued, “I fought it but I fell for her hard.” I took a deep calming breath with that admission. “I didn’t want to be in a committed relationship, I wanted to be free because a relationship requires so much energy to maintain. But with Abby,” his voice dropped a little, and sounded almost wistful. “She’s special, extraordinary. I love her.

“I didn’t want this, but now that I have it, I never want to let go. I can’t imagine what it would be like to not have the affection that she so readily gives me. I know she’s crazy for me. I count my blessings every day that she came into my life, and chose me. She really did, she chose me.” He caught himself up, took another deep breath. “Sorry, you probably don’t want to hear all that, but I kept her a secret for so long, and my feelings for her a secret… to keep them from manifesting and grow stronger. In doing so, I think I did the opposite of my intention.”

Ben interrupted, “Not to imply that your girlfriend is a problem, but ignore a problem and it just gets bigger. It always happens when you’re not looking for it. Especially when you don’t want it or look for it…”

I could hear the smile from Tom in his voice. “I’m absolutely mad for her. She drives me crazy sometimes, with her dog-earring my books and her impatience, but she’s amazing in so many other ways. I don’t want to be without her.”

I didn’t realize that I was crying tears of happiness until the men started moving around in the living room. I quickly closed the bedroom door with me still inside and sat on the bed in shock. The only time I’d heard Tom’s true feelings for me was the day he came to the studio to get me, the first time he told me he loved me. He said it nearly every day, but it wasn’t a cathartic explosion of words like he had just done with Ben. It wasn’t Tom’s way, but it was good to know that it was in him.

I was trying to collect my thoughts and emotions that had been strewn every which way with his confession. I was having a rough go of it. Hearing that he didn’t want what we had, broke my heart, utterly. He quickly restored the balance by admitting all that he felt for me and that he couldn’t live without me. I knew he wanted to remain open and free, because his schedule was so hectic. I didn’t want to be the ball and chain, but I knew now he didn’t feel that way now. He actually gushed about me. I couldn’t possibly love him anymore than I did then. If I did, I would burst with it.

As I was pulling myself together, Tom called for me. “Abby, Ben’s leaving! Did you want to say goodbye or fuck off or something?”

Wiping the last of the happy tears, I walked out of Tom’s bedroom into the hallway. He and Ben were standing by the open front door, shaking hands, sharing hugs and wishing each other wall till next time. I found my way into Tom’s arms and nestled there for a moment. I finally turned to Ben, gave him a smile and simply said, “Thank you.”


End file.
